An RTI application filed by Pune-based RTI-activist, Prafful Sarda has revealed that a total of 64,827 migrants left the erstwhile state of Jammu Kashmir during the 1990s.
Most of these Pandits left due to the growing militancy in the region, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MH) has stated.
Prafful Sarda had filed an RTI with the Home Ministry, seeking information on the welfare of Kashmiri Pandits, including the number of Kashmiri Pandits who left the state after 1990, the reasons for migration, the locations to which they may have relocated, and the government’s efforts to rehabilitate pandits, to name a few.
“As per the information furnished by the Government of Jammu and Kashmir, a total of 64,827 migrants families left the erstwhile state due to the onset of militancy in the 1990s,’’ Deputy Secretary (JK) & CPIO said in response to the RTI.
The MHA also reported that 44,837 registered migrants have settled in Jammu, 19,338 are now in Delhi-NCR, and 1,995 are in other states and union territories of the nation in response to another RTI question.
According to the RTI response, the Prime Minister’s relief package of 2008 gave the Jammu and Kashmir government authority to create 3,000 state government employment for Kashmiri migrants, of which 2,905 have been filled. In addition, the Prime Minister’s 2015 development package sanctioned the establishment of 3,000 extra employment for Kashmir migrants at a cost of Rs 1,080 crore.
In this reply, Prafful Sarda said, “Its surprising to know that RTI revert from the government said due to the onset of militancy people left Kashmir valley in 1990.’’